AI-powered companion toys are becoming increasingly popular in China, boasting Tamagotchi-like features like growing from an egg into an adult, playing, chatting, and more.
The age of AI is officially upon us. Chatbots are becoming increasingly ingrained in social media apps and office programs, while AI-generated video content is sweeping platforms like YouTube to the tune of billions of views.
Chatbots, in particular, have become a major sticking point in the AI ethics debate. For example, one man fell in love with and even proposed to an AI agent despite having a girlfriend and children, while a woman got ‘engaged’ to an AI character she’d created using ChatGPT.
Players of sci-fi dating simulator ‘Love and Deepspace’ are using AI tools to make the game’s hunky cast of characters even more realistic, interacting with the virtual guys via chatbots, AR tools, and even wearable tech.
‘Love and Deepspace’ players can place the characters in their own environment thanks to the game’s AR mode.
Now, another AI-powered tool is seeking to fill the relationship gap, and it’s evocative of old-school toys Millennials are probably familiar with.
Tamagotchi-like AI companion sees surge in popularity
AI companion toys are all the rage in China, and are slowly growing in overseas markets as the technology continues to advance.
One toy, in particular, is catching eyes at tech expos lately. They’re called ‘Sweekar,’ and they’re small, palm-sized critters that, much like the Tamagotchis of the 2000s, grow up from eggs into children, teens, and finally adults.
Also similar to Tamagotchis, Sweekar come with a ‘death mechanism,’ which means they can actually ‘die’ if you fail to meet their needs. You’ll need to interact with your Sweekar on a regular basis when it’s young, but unlike its analog predecessors, it actually talks back to you and even goes on ‘adventures’ when you’re away.
Once it’s an adult, the ‘death mechanism’ is disabled, and it can take care of itself on its own. The Sweekar can also simulate body heat and breathing rhythms, and shapes its personality to your unique conversations with the toy’s language learning model. And, of course, you can dress up your Sweekar in different outfits.
As reported by China Daily, Chinese AI companies made up 80% of total exhibitors at CES 2026, speaking to a broader trend of AI companion adoption across both young and older consumers.
Chinese online shopping network Taobao noted that AI toys are a hot new commodity among shoppers, with sales for the gadgets increasing more than 1,600% year-over-year. Another online shopping platform, JD dot com, says sales of AI toys on its website reached 700 million yuan ($100 million USD).
Speaking to China Daily, senior analyst Jiang Han at Chinese think-tank Pangoal argued that the combination of emotional support with emerging technology could be what’s driving this new consumer fad.
“AI-powered toys have clear potential as a new driver of consumption,” she said. “They blend emotional consumption with technology, tapping into multiple trillion-yuan markets — from children’s education and Gen Z emotional needs to the silver economy — and could become the next growth engine after smart home devices.”
Despite the rise in popularity of AI companions, not everyone is pleased about it. Husbands in China are reportedly begging their wives to stop playing AI-powered games like Love and Deepspace, while Pope Leo XIV warned that chatbots could “replace” genuine human relationships.
